LAWS

第43章

Ath。Thenastounjusthurts(andgainsalso,supposingtheinjusticetobringgain),ofthesewemayhealasmanyasarecapableofbeinghealed,regardingthemasdiseasesofthesoul;andthecureofinjusticewilltakethefollowingdirection。

Cle。Whatdirection?

Ath。Whenanyonecommitsanyinjustice,smallorgreat,thelawwilladmonishandcompelhimeitherneveratalltodothelikeagain,ornevervoluntarily,oratanyrateinafarlessdegree;andhemustinadditionpayforthehurt。Whethertheendistobeattainedbywordoraction,withpleasureorpain,bygivingortakingawayprivileges,bymeansoffinesorgifts,orinwhatsoeverwaythelawshallproceedtomakeamanhateinjustice,andloveornothatethenatureofthejust-thisisquitethenoblestworkoflaw。Butifthelegislatorseesanyonewhoisincurable,forhimhewillappointalawandapenalty。Heknowsquitewellthattosuchmenthemselvesthereisnoprofitinthecontinuanceoftheirlives,andthattheywoulddoadoublegoodtotherestofmankindiftheywouldtaketheirdeparture,inasmuchastheywouldbeanexampletoothermennottooffend,andtheywouldrelievethecityofbadcitizens。Insuchcases,andinsuchcasesonly,thelegislatoroughttoinflictdeathasthepunishmentofoffences。

Cle。Whatyouhavesaidappearstometobeveryreasonable,butwillyoufavourmebystatingalittlemoreclearlythedifferencebetweenhurtandinjustice,andthevariouscomplicationsofthevoluntaryandinvoluntarywhichenterintothem?

Ath。Iwillendeavourtodoasyouwish:-Concerningthesoul,thusmuchwouldbegenerallysaidandallowed,thatoneelementinhernatureispassion,whichmaybedescribedeitherasastateorapartofher,andishardtobestrivenagainstandcontendedwith,andbyirrationalforceoverturnsmanythings。

Cle。Verytrue。

Ath。Andpleasureisnotthesamewithpassion,buthasanoppositepower,workingherwillbypersuasionandbytheforceofdeceitinallthings。

Cle。Quitetrue。

Ath。Amanmaytrulysaythatignoranceisathirdcauseofcrimes。Ignorance,however,maybeconvenientlydividedbythelegislatorintotwosorts:thereissimpleignorance,whichisthesourceoflighteroffences,anddoubleignorance,whichisaccompaniedbyaconceitofwisdom;andhewhoisundertheinfluenceofthelatterfanciesthatheknowsallaboutmattersofwhichheknowsnothing。Thissecondkindofignorance,whenpossessedofpowerandstrength,willbeheldbythelegislatortobethesourceofgreatandmonstroustimes,butwhenattendedwithweakness,willonlyresultintheerrorsofchildrenandoldmen;andthesehewilltreataserrors,andwillmakelawsaccordinglyforthosewhocommitthem,whichwillbethemildestandmostmercifulofalllaws。

Cle。Youareperfectlyright。

Ath。Weallofusremarkofonemanthatheissuperiortopleasureandpassion,andofanotherthatheisinferiortothem;

andthisistrue。

Cle。Certainly。

Ath。Butnoonewaseveryetheardtosaythatoneofusissuperiorandanotherinferiortoignorance。

Cle。Verytrue。

Ath。Wearespeakingofmotiveswhichincitementothefulfilmentoftheirwill;althoughanindividualmaybeoftendrawnbytheminoppositedirectionsatthesametime。

Cle。Yes,often。

Ath。AndnowIcandefinetoyouclearly,andwithoutambiguity,whatImeanbythejustandunjust,accordingtomynotionofthem:-Whenangerandfear,andpleasureandpain,andjealousiesanddesires,tyrannizeoverthesoul,whethertheydoanyharmornot-I

callallthisinjustice。Butwhentheopinionofthebest,inwhateverpartofhumannaturestatesorindividualsmaysupposethattodwell,hasdominioninthesoulandordersthelifeofeveryman,evenifitbesometimesmistaken,yetwhatisdoneinaccordancetherewith,theprincipleinindividualswhichobeysthisrule,andisbestforthewholelifeofman,istobecalledjust;althoughthehurtdonebymistakeisthoughtbymanytobeinvoluntaryinjustice。Leavingthequestionofnames,aboutwhichwearenotgoingtoquarrel,andhavingalreadydelineatedthreesourcesoferror,wemaybeginbyrecallingthemsomewhatmorevividlytoourmemory:-Oneofthemwasofthepainfulsort,whichwedenominateangerandfear。

Cle。Quiteright。

Ath。Therewasasecondconsistingofpleasuresanddesires,andathirdofhopes,whichaimedattrueopinionaboutthebest。Thelatterbeingsubdividedintothree,wenowgetfives

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